Imaging devices are devices that are able either to replicate or to author images. Such devices include printers, plotters, scanners, copiers, etc. Imaging devices have a means for storing information regarding attributes of the devices. Such information includes configuration settings, fault occurrences, usage history, levels of consumables (e.g. ink or toner), paper jams, firmware errors, hardware malfunctions, etc. This information is stored in “object identifiers” (“OIDs”) within a “management information base” (“MIB”) within each imaging device. The MIB comprises a computer memory within the imaging device. The OIDs each comprise one or more bytes of data and correspond to the status or condition of the device attributes.
The computer memory of the imaging devices can be accessed externally by other devices, such as computer systems either connected directly to the imaging devices via a cable (e.g. a parallel port cable, a universal serial bus cable, etc.) or connected remotely to the imaging devices via a network (e.g. a local area network, a wide area network, the Internet, etc.). Thus, the MIB of each imaging device can be electronically interrogated to discover or read the stored information concerning the imaging device attributes.
For a given imaging device, if it is known which device attribute corresponds to each OID, then a complete status or condition of the imaging device can be formulated by reading the OIDs from the MIB of the imaging device. Therefore, if a problem occurs in the imaging device, the problem can be diagnosed by reading the MIB data from the imaging device and analyzing the received data for a match with existing data. An appropriate solution to the problem can then be implemented, such as ordering a service call to the imaging device to refill consumables, replace defective components, etc.
The ability to analyze the MIB data to determine the condition of the imaging device requires exact knowledge of the MIB structure of the imaging device. In other words, the meaning of each OID within the MIB must be known. Therefore, when an imaging device is encountered for which the MIB structure is not completely known, the MIB must first be deciphered. The imaging device with “unknown” MIB portions may be encountered, for example, in a situation in which a servicing contract between two parties obligates one of the parties to service the other party's imaging devices, regardless of the manufacturer of the imaging devices. Most imaging device manufacturers make at least some of the OIDs, such as those specifying the vendor and model of the imaging device, publicly available. To discover other OIDs in the MIB, the imaging device is subjected, within a laboratory setting, to a wide variety of conditions or situations related to the device attributes. The MIB is read and analyzed for each situation. For example, if the imaging device is a printer, then the printer can be subjected to different situations in which paper has been inserted therein and removed therefrom. Any differences in any of the OIDs under the different situations indicate the OIDs that are related to the presence and absence of the paper.
After extensive trial-and-error testing of the imaging device, the OIDs related to the tested attributes are identified. This information is used to diagnose problems or record the status of imaging devices of the same type used outside the laboratory in real-world situations. Without this information, when presented with a malfunctioning imaging device, a service technician or a call center agent would have to iterate through several possible solutions until the imaging device worked. The testing procedure to decipher the MIB and its OIDs, however, is very time-consuming, labor-intensive and costly. Additionally, the testing procedure must be repeated for every available imaging device, of which there are hundreds currently on the market.